• Submitted by: manso
• International
• 05 / 17 / 2011

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As House of Representatives moves to sanction San Fernando East MP today. By Kim Boodram, Ria Taitt and Denyse Renne. May 15, 2011 at 11:42 PM ECT

FORMER prime minister Patrick Manning will be in Cuba while the House of Representatives decides his fate on a charge of contempt.

The House will decide today what action, if any, should be taken against Manning, who was last Friday found to be guilty of contempt of the House based on statements he made about Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's funding for her private residence.

He will not be present, though, having indicated to House Speaker Wade Mark yesterday that he will this week be seeking medical attention in Cuba. Manning leaves today and is expected to return on Friday.

Contacted last night, Manning said, "The arrangements for this trip were made since April and my ticket was bought on Wednesday before any of this happened."

He said the matter was in the hands of his attorneys "who will handle it appropriately".

The San Fernando East MP's last visit to Cuba was in 2008, when, as then-prime minister, he informed the nation that a cancerous tumour had been found in his left kidney.

Manning said that, while in Cuba to attend the Third Caricom Summit, he had the tumour surgically removed in December 2008.

In the meantime, the House of Representatives will today debate the First Report of the Privileges Committee, which reported that the grounds of alleged contempt by Manning appear to have been established.

The finding of contempt arises out of statements Manning made about the conduct of Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar and the acquisition of funding for the construction of her home in Phillipine in South Trinidad.

Noting that Manning had declined to answer the allegations and otherwise assist the Committee, the report said he also treated the Committee with contempt.

Manning's legal team intended to approach the High Court tomorrow seeking an injunction to prevent him from having to appear before the Committee.

But they may now seek to explore other options seeing that the Committee has submitted its report.

The application was filed on May 12 in the Port of Spain High Court and is scheduled to be heard before Justice Maureen Rajnauth Lee.

Manning will be represented by Senior Counsel John Jeremie and Douglas Mendes, along with attorneys Kerwyn Garcia, Stuart Young and Sasha Franklin.

Senior Counsel Russell Martineau, Dana Seetahal, Deborah Peake along with attorneys Kelvin Ramkissoon and Devesh Maharaj appear on behalf of the Privileges Committee.

Last month, Manning, through Jeremie, filed an application for leave to apply for Judicial Review, at the Port of Spain High Court.

Manning had filed the judicial review application following the Committee's decision to refuse him proper representation at the disciplinary hearing.

In his application, Manning sought to have his lawyer question members of the Committee.

The Privileges Committee, which is chaired by House Speaker Wade Mark, has the majority of Government members.

Members include Dr Roodal Moonilal, Dr Tim Gopeesingh, Prakash Ramadhar, Roger Samuel and Chandresh Sharma.

The Opposition side includes Donna Cox, Colm Imbert and Patricia McIntosh.


Source: www.trinidadexpress.com/news/